Priyanka Chopra On US Politics & Film
Condé Nast Traveller India|October - November 2016

Priyanka Chopra speaks to Suketu Mehta about breaking barriers, crossing borders and why she picks a good travel agent over owning a home.

Suketu Mehta
Priyanka Chopra On US Politics & Film

Priyanka Chopra comes into the restaurant— River park, which has a gorgeous view of the East River—wearing a white top and sunglasses. It’s her day off. This is a rarity in the life of the actress who’s managing a career in two places simultaneously—in Mumbai and the US. So she’s relaxed, and happy to drink two glasses of wine at lunch, and order bread twice. She could be any Indian-American young woman in the country today: confident in her place in life, and in the country. Over a fine meal of oysters (for her) and pasta (for me), she talks about where she came from, and where she’s going.

SM: New York when you were studying here in school to New York now—how has it changed?

PC: Back then, I would take the subway from Queens, meet my best friend at the time and come to Fifth Avenue to hang out and look at pretty people go in and out of Saks. And last year, I was shooting outside the store. For me, that’s the difference between New York City as a child and as an adult—my perspective on it has changed.

SM: You moved around a bit in the US, didn’t you?

PC: From New York, I moved to Indianapolis. My stay in the US was divided between my uncle and my aunt—my mama and my masi. While she was switching jobs, I stayed with him, and vice versa.

SM: Doing that at a young age gives you a certain confidence in being able to take on the world, doesn’t it?

PC: Honestly, it does. Today, I can meet anyone, anywhere, and have a conversation with them on their level. In India, too, my dad was in the Army for the first 10 years of my life, so we moved base every two to three years. Every summer, we would go to Kashmir—Srinagar, Pahalgam. My dad was posted in Leh for about nine months, in fact.

SM: So there was a lot of travel…

This story is from the October - November 2016 edition of Condé Nast Traveller India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October - November 2016 edition of Condé Nast Traveller India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER INDIAView All
Made In Nagaland
Condé Nast Traveller India

Made In Nagaland

From home textiles to jewellery, clothing, and more, here are the 10 Naga craft brands you need to know. By Sohini Dey

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December - January 2024 - 25
TOKYO RIGHT NOW
Condé Nast Traveller India

TOKYO RIGHT NOW

As impossible to pigeonhole as ever, the Japanese capital is buzzing with fresh influences and new ideas

time-read
10+ mins  |
November - December - January 2024 - 25
RAISING RAI: WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS
Condé Nast Traveller India

RAISING RAI: WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS

Raghu and Avani Rai on connecting via worlds seen through their lenses.

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December - January 2024 - 25
GILDED WATERS
Condé Nast Traveller India

GILDED WATERS

Paula Hardy boards one of the last remaining dahabiyas on the Nile for a different perspective of Egypt's storied river

time-read
3 mins  |
November - December - January 2024 - 25
THE GIRL WITH GRAND DESIGNS
Condé Nast Traveller India

THE GIRL WITH GRAND DESIGNS

Gauravi Kumari is part of Jaipur's new creative set that is bringing fresh perspectives to the city's design legacy.

time-read
6 mins  |
November - December - January 2024 - 25
A FACE FOR ADVENTURE
Condé Nast Traveller India

A FACE FOR ADVENTURE

Retooling the iconic Rolex GMT-Master II for fresh explorations.

time-read
1 min  |
November - December - January 2024 - 25
THE GRAND seduction
Condé Nast Traveller India

THE GRAND seduction

Palermo's chaos, swagger, and temperamental charm cast a hypnotic spell.

time-read
8 mins  |
November - December - January 2024 - 25
Rhythm Divine
Condé Nast Traveller India

Rhythm Divine

Wherever you go in Gwalior, the myth and magic of Tansen are inescapable, as Sam Dalrymple finds out.

time-read
8 mins  |
November - December - January 2024 - 25
IDEAL WORLD
Condé Nast Traveller India

IDEAL WORLD

Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan explains why he went ahead with the publication of Bethlehem, his celebratory cookbook.

time-read
6 mins  |
November - December - January 2024 - 25
NUJUMA, A RITZ-CARLTON RESERVE SAUDI ARABIA
Condé Nast Traveller India

NUJUMA, A RITZ-CARLTON RESERVE SAUDI ARABIA

On alittle-visited Red Sea archipelago, the Middle East’s first Ritz-Carlton Reserve reflects both untapped nature and hyperreal modernity, finds Noo Saro-Wiwa.

time-read
3 mins  |
November - December - January 2024 - 25